JUNE INSTAGRAM ROUNDUP

Happy almost July! Here's my June recap.

A month or so ago I decided I need to be an adult and get a night cream. I am so low maintenance with my skin but I figured since 30 is eminent I should start being proactive.

Y’all know I vet products before I use them. I am so extremely picky about ingredients. I search the EWG database for ingredients to make sure I’m comfortable with using them. (I’m more than happy to do research on any products you’re using as well by the way. 😉 )My skin is soaking this stuff up and I don’t want to be using any fragrance or parabens or phalates. Last week in my stories I shared how I began noticing improvements with my hormone issues once I buckled down on cleaning up my products. I’ll say it again- THIS STUFF MATTERS!

During the day I like a light moisturizer but at night I want something thicker to really help replenish my skin. I bought this Sandalwood cream and I. AM. OBSESSED.

This stuff smells like straight Hawaii! Honestly- smells just like the beach. 🌊 There’s a reason for this too. 😉 The Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood oil comes from The Big Island of Hawaii. So basically I’m putting a little slice of Heaven on my face every night! I have been so pleased with this so far. It hasn’t caused any breakouts or sensitivity. 🙌🏻 It is definitely a thicker cream that has to be rubbed in but I love it. 💗💗

Last night in stories I chatted about tongue scraping. It’s definitely not a hugely popular topic but hey, it’s something I’m digging. I first heard about tongue scraping on The Skinny Confidential podcast last year. I was intrigued so I Amazon primed one for myself!

Y’all, this is the most satisfying yet gross thing to do! I use mine every morning and every night and I’m obsessed now! I do it when I brush my teeth. I read that everybody’s mouth contains 100-200 different species of bacteria. 🤢 Tongue scraping helps eliminate some of it.

Some benefits: improve your sense of taste, remove bacteria which helps with breathe & dental decay, reduce toxins in your body from foods left on your tongue and prevent them from being re-absorbed which also helps boost immunity.

I’ll screen shot a picture of the one I use- make sure to get a nice stainless steel one if you want to try it out and not a plastic one. This one comes in a two pack so you can conveniently leave one on your spouse’s side of the bathroom too. 😉😉

I feel like every other day I see a new article out about sunscreen. I love it though because it means people are becoming more aware! If you aren’t aware of this conversation let me fill you in.
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Traditional sunscreen is full of toxins & ironically it’s supposed to help protect you from cancer, but a lot of the ingredients in some can cause cancer by using carcinogenic ingredients like parabens, phalates or other ingredients.
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There are two types of sunscreens - chemical & mineral. Chemical sunscreens use chemicals to block rays and mineral sunscreens use physical barriers in the form of minerals like zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Mineral sunscreens are preferred as they typically have less toxic ingredients.
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Oxybenzone is the main ingredient used in chemical sunscreens. It acts like an estrogen in the body & has been linked to endometriosis. Any chemical that imitates a natural hormone in your body can cause issues. Oxybenzone also acts as a skin allergen for some. The EWG recommends all people stay clear of it. It also damages reefs in the ocean. There is another ingredient, retinyl palmitate (a form of Vitamin A) that can actually cause cancer when activated by UV rays on the skin. Ironically, this ingredient is added to some sunscreens because Vitamin A is an antioxidant known to help fight skin again. (WellnessMama.com)
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Young Living’s sunscreen is a mineral sunscreen and uses zinc oxide as the main ingredient. Zinc oxide is a much safer barrier & is a 1-2 on the EWG app. It’s also reef safe! Mineral sunscreens are usually thicker and they require more rubbing it but it’s worth it! YL sells 2 spfs- 10 & 50. It is forumulated without avobenzone, oxybenzone, retinyl palmitate, parabens, artifical colors and synthetic fragrances.
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I wore this over the weekend while I was in the pool and I even put it on my face with no issues.

It’s that time, y’all. The mosquitoes are out in full force unfortunately. Today’s post is going to be short and sweet! I’m just going to share a DIY bug spray recipe.

2 oz bottle

5 drops each: Citronella, Lemongrass, Peppermint, Purification

¼ part With Hazel

¾ part Distilled Water

Can be altered for little ones to: 2 drops of each- Purification, Citronella and Lavender.

Swipe over to the next two pictures before you read this caption. I’ve got a little disclaimer!

Conventional deodorants use a realm of harsh chemicals. These chemicals range from aluminum (heavy metals are not good for the body at all), phalates (hormone disruptors linked to a host of problems including infertility), parabens (another class of hormone disruptors. Cancerous breast tissue has been biopsied & parabens have been found in it), fragrance (unknown chemicals that a company doesn’t have to disclose- could be anything!) & formaldehyde (yuck! Who wants to put this on their body)?! Most people probably apply deodorant twice a day & our skin is absorbing these chemicals. Don’t fret though- there are alternatives to conventional deodorant! tried out several different brands when I was switching deodorant & this is the one that worked for my body.

Native has a sensitive formula I love because it doesn’t contain baking soda. Some natural deodorants use baking soda so if you start using one & develop a rash then switch to a baking soda free formula and it should go away! Native always offers free shipping too. 🙌🏻 Note: they do sell Native at Target but from what I’ve heard, the formulation in the stores isn’t what it is online so I recommend buying this one online. Native is a 1 on Think Dirty too. 🙌🏻Another note: a little goes a long way with natural deodorant- apply a few swipes and you’re good to go. You don’t need much for it to work & if you apply too much, the coconut oil will get on your clothes.

If you’re still using conventional deodorant make a switch once you run out of what you’re currently using. Don’t be discouraged if you have to try a few brands. Everybody’s body is different so you have to find what works for YOU! As always- let me know if you need help finding one for yourself! ❤️

Do you use crystal light packets in water? Years ago, I did. I didn’t know any better but now I do. Those little packets are filled with citric acid, potassium citrate, maltodextrin, calcium phosphate, aspartame, natural and artificial flavors, acesulfame potassium, soy lecitin and artificial colors. Let me breakdown some of those ingredients for ya.

Artificial flavors: There could be up to 100 ingredients making these up. They could be synthetic chemicals or preservatives, even parabens.

Aspartame: This can contribute to weight gain by causing sugar cravings. It doesn’t contain calories but researchers from UT (p.s. Boomer Sooner, I hate giving credit to the Longhorns) discovered that drinking artificial sweeteners will expand your waist girth, which is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. When you eat something sweet like fake sugar your brain is tricked into wanting more because your body isn’t getting enough calories to be satisfied.

Citric Acid: This preservative is typically derived from mold made with GMO corn (yum). Frequent consumption is linked to an increase in tooth decay and can also irritate the gut.

Maltodextrin: This has been shown to negatively affect gut bacteria. It has no nutritional value because it’s not a real food. It is typically derived from GMO corn. It is also a hidden form of MSG.

Natural Flavors: These are flavors made from a proprietary mix of chemicals derived from anything in nature. Every flavor can contain up to 100 ingredients. Basically an unknown flavor made up of synthetic chemicals possibly. (All ingredient info above from TheFoodBabe.com)

What do I use in my water now? Lemon oil! There are a few oils that can be ingested and this is one of them. (Young Living oils only) I fill my Yeti with hot water every morning and throw a few drops of Lemon in there.

Bonus: This little oil can also help get sticky residues off of surfaces or be put down your kitchen sink to help with disposal smells. 👍🏼👍🏼

I first heard about collagen powder years ago. I feel like it kind of had it’s shining moment where everyone was talking about it. I don’t see much about it anymore but I’m still over here drinking it! Collagen is supposed to support your hair, skin, nails and joints. Collagen is a protein in our bodies & as we age production declines which is why it’s good to supplement. As with everything else, you have to make sure that you find one that isn’t full of junk. I personally drink the Primal Kitchen chocolate coconut collagen peptides. I put a scoop in my decaf coffee every morning and I’ve also used it in smoothies. This one is dairy, whey, soy, gluten and grain free. There are no fillers, preservatives or anything artificial & it tastes really good! 😋

I’ve talked about talc here before but I want to really reiterate it again. Talc is NO good! You do not want to be putting asbestos on your face every day. For a while I used blush from a company that I thought was a safer option. I was shocked when I went to reorder it and saw that talc was listed as an ingredient! I had no clue there was talc in there. I was very saddened by this but even though I loved that blush I knew I wouldn’t use it any more. I tried out Young Living’s Savvy blush and can I be honest? I like it WAY more than the other blush, which actually shocked me because I truly loved the other blush so much. I’ve been using the shade “Charisma“. You only need to use the tiniest amount so this is going to last me forever.

There are some ingredients that I might let slide every now and then but for me, talc is a non-negotiable. It is one I absolutely won’t use. This blush is free from talc, bismuth, parabens, phthalates, nanoparticles, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colorants and synthetic fillers. Ingredients are not tested on animals and are tested for heavy metals. 💗💗💗

For as long as I can remember I have always been very picky about what face wash I use. I have sensitive skin so it’s hard for me to find face products that don’t irritate my skin. I was using a charcoal bar already when Young Living came out with this one last year. There wasn’t anything wrong with the one I was using but to be honest, since YL came out with one, I wanted to try it because I get points back on every order so why not use the one that would benefit me in that way so long as liked it just as much as the other one?
I bought it and have been using it ever since—almost for a year now! I love it! It makes my face feel really clean and not like it has a soap residue leftover. I hate face washes that leave a film on your face. This doesn’t do that! Also, a bar lasts me FOREVER. My husband uses it as well and it still lasts a long time.

Formulated without sulfates, phthalates, parabens, dyes, and synthetic fragrances or preservatives.

I am obsessed with tea. 😋I have always loved it. Growing up I would drink big glasses of sweet tea. I no longer do that! I don’t do sugar like that anymore but I still drink unsweet tea a lot. I’ve mentioned on here that I don’t drink caffeine. I found this organic, caffeine free peppermint tea at Whole Foods and I love it! Peppermint tea is one of my favorites. Sometimes I will just put a drop of YL peppermint oil in tea but other times I drink this pre-made tea.
Are there any good decaf teas you’ve found?! I’m always looking to find other good ones.

Have you ever been sick and found yourself eating cough drops like candy? #guilty I looked at the ingredients on the cough drops I used to buy and they have ascorbic acid, citric acid, corn syrup, FD&C blue2 , FD&C red 40, flavors, malic acid, sodium acetate, sodium chloride, soybean oil, sucrose and pectin. Yikes! That’s a lot of stuff… & there are definitely things I steer clear from now in them. Also worth noting, if you are sick, corn syrup is the last thing you need! If you’re eating a cough drop that means you need to be putting things in your body that are beneficial because you obviously need to be more conscientious of what you eat when your body is trying to heal from sickness.

I now use the Thieves cough drops and I have been so pleased with them. I felt really yucky the a few weeks ago and I popped one in my mouth and felt better within minutes! These only have menthol and pure Young Living oils. They are free from sugar, dyes and artificial flavors.

These go out of stock a lot during cold/flu season because they are so popular so I try to stock up beforehand!

Where are my bread lovers at?! Growing up people made fun of me because I literally only ate carbs… and that’s partially still true. I’m working on it though! I don’t have celiac disease, but I have cut out a lot of gluten from my diet. I have been eating the Simple Mills artisan bread and WOW—it.is.good. Like really good, like I don’t miss actual bread because these are so delicious. It’s not just gluten I am concerned with. A lot of other breads just have added junk but these don’t. These are made up of 5 ingredients: almond flour, arrowroot, flax meal, tapioca, sea salt and baking soda. Add eggs and oil and there you have it! I make these in muffin tins to eat like dinner rolls. They are paleo free, gum free, dairy free and soy free. Slap some grass fed butter on them and you’re good to go.

I used to only be able to buy Simple Mills products at Whole Foods but I’m so happy to see them becoming more mainstream now! I can find some of their products at HEB and Target.


That's all for June! I hope this month's information was beneficial to you!